Every Main Street community is working to bring shoppers downtown, but what does that mean in the era of internet shopping? 

Shoppers are buying more online–but they don’t buy all products in an equal amount.  In the next few posts, we’ll take a look at this sharp graphic from Permuto Discoveries, and offer some questions that might prompt discussion at your next economic restructuring committee meeting.

First, this chart certainly shows why large retailers and chain drug stores work so hard to get prescription business. It’s one one category in which retail is still largely a bricks and mortar game, and once shoppers are in the door, they’ll buy other goods as well.

Where in your downtown can shoppers get prescriptions filled?  Could your (possibly struggling) independent pharmacist actually be an overlooked downtown anchor whose services could be trumpeted as part of a buy local campaign?

According to the National Community Pharmacy Association, the average independent pharmacy employes six people, including the owner. The average non-prescription sales of a pharmacy is around $240,000. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but if you do, don’t worry.  They’ll have something for that.